STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3536

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 826, 827

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Agriculture, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 826 and 827, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of:

Board of Agriculture

G.M. No. 826	LYNN DECOITE, for a term to expire 6-30-2016; and
G.M. No. 827	GLENN HONG, for a term to expire 6-30-2016 (Term amended to 6-30-2013 by GM922),

begs leave to report as follows:

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by the nominees and finds Lynn Decoite and Glenn Hong to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated to the Board of Agriculture.

LYNN DECOITE

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Lynn Decoite from the Department of Agriculture; Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; Moloka‘i Chamber of Commerce; Molokai Farm Bureau; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; Young Brothers, Ltd.; Molokai Island Foundation; Keaukaha Panaewa Farmers Association; Ahupua‘a O Moloka‘i; and fifteen individuals.

     Your Committee finds that Lynn Decoite has many years of agricultural experience.  She is the current Owner and Ranch Handler for V-8 Ranch, where she handles breeding, branding, irrigating, and the overall maintenance and management at the ranch.  She is also the Owner and Manager of L&R Farm Enterprises, LLC, overseeing the daily operations of planting, harvesting, irrigating, and marketing produce.

     Ms. Decoite is a Hawaiian homestead farmer who has also established a value-added sweet potato chip business that utilizes the sweet potato grown on her farm.

     Your Committee further finds that Ms. Decoite has served as a member of the Molokai Irrigation System Water Users Advisory Board, which has given her experience with complex water issues facing the agricultural industry on Molokai.

     Ms. Decoite's extensive and diverse knowledge of farming and agriculture will serve her well as a member of the Board of Agriculture.

GLENN HONG

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Glenn Hong from the Department of Agriculture; Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Young Brothers, Ltd.; Meadow Gold Dairies; Moloka‘i Chamber of Commerce; Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation; Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; and three individuals.

     Your Committee finds that Glenn Hong received his Bachelor's degree in Science from the University of Southern California.  He is currently the President of Young Brothers, Ltd., an inter-island cargo common carrier.

     Mr. Hong serves on the boards of the Hawaii Harbors Users Group and The Foundation for the Asia Pacific Center for Strategic Studies.  He is also a member of the University of Hawaii Shidler College of Business Advisory Board.

     With his strong business background and experience in inter-island transportation logistics, policies, strategic planning, resource allocation, and regulation, Mr. Hong will provide the Board of Agriculture with a unique perspective on the transportation of agricultural commodities in our island state.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture,

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair